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Psalm 57

Psalm 57 moves from a hunted man’s plea for shelter to steadfast praise, with God’s glory at its center.

David is fleeing Saul and taking shelter in a cave, according to the psalm’s heading; the cave is not identified. He asks God for mercy while describing enemies whose words and weapons threaten him. His prayer for rescue opens into a repeated plea for God’s glory to fill the earth. As the song moves toward praise, David speaks of his enemies falling into their own trap and prepares to sing among the nations.

fear for the futureanxiety or panicpraise and worship
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1For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave. Be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me, for my soul takes refuge in you. Yes, in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge, until disaster has passed.
2I cry out to God Most High, to God who accomplishes my requests for me.
3He will send from heaven, and save me, he rebukes the one who is pursuing me. Selah. God will send out his loving kindness and his truth.
4My soul is among lions. I lie among those who are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
5Be exalted, God, above the heavens! Let your glory be above all the earth!
6They have prepared a net for my steps. My soul is bowed down. They dig a pit before me. They fall into the middle of it themselves. Selah.
7My heart is steadfast, God. My heart is steadfast. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises.
8Wake up, my glory! Wake up, lute and harp! I will wake up the dawn.
9I will give thanks to you, Lord, among the peoples. I will sing praises to you among the nations.
10For your great loving kindness reaches to the heavens, and your truth to the skies.
11Be exalted, God, above the heavens. Let your glory be over all the earth.
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected. Tap a number for its page.
Key verses
Psalm 57:1The repeated plea for mercy sets the urgency, while the sheltering wings express trust amid danger.
Psalm 57:5This refrain places God’s glory above the immediate threat and returns at the close of the song.
Psalm 57:4The images of lions and sharpened weapons show the violence David faces, including the harm carried by speech.
Where this chapter reaches

The sheltering wings share an image with Isaiah’s birdlike picture of God protecting Jerusalem and Matthew’s account of Jesus describing a hen gathering her young. The enemies falling into their own pit share Proverbs’ picture of harm returning upon the person who planned it.

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Notice

After reading the whole chapter

What changes do you notice between David’s opening plea for mercy and his resolve to wake the dawn?

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How might David’s repeated prayer for God’s glory shape what you ask for amid a threat?

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Questions people ask about Psalm 57

Who wrote Psalm 57, and which cave was David in?

The heading attributes Psalm 57 to David and places it when he fled from Saul in a cave. It does not name the cave or give enough details to identify the incident with certainty. The poem itself focuses on danger, refuge in God, and praise.

What does the shadow of God’s wings mean in Psalm 57?

The phrase “in the shadow of your wings” pictures shelter beneath a bird’s wings. David uses it to describe taking refuge in God while disaster threatens him. The surrounding verses still describe pursuit and violent enemies, so the image expresses trust in God’s protection while danger remains.

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Psalms · 150 chapters
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What the Bible says about fear →What the Bible says about anxiety →What the Bible says about worship →

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).